Bail Set at $1 Million for Home-Invasion Suspect

A 36-year-old Santa Barbara man was being held on $1 million bail after being arrested on multiple felony charges stemming from a home-invasion robbery that occurred in March, according to the Santa Barbara Police Department.

The attack occurred at about 3 p.m. on March 10 at a home on the 700 block of E. Calle Laureles, said Sgt. Riley Harwood.

A 28-year-old woman who is a foreign student was briefly kidnapped during the incident, Harwood said.

Richard Stephen Delgado allegedly approached the woman, who was alone, outside of her host residence, convinced her that he was performing work for the homeowner, and entered the house, Harwood said.

"When the victim walked inside approximately five minutes later, he brandished a knife and handgun and held her captive," Harwood said.

Delgado then allegedly removed a wall safe containing several thousand dollars worth of jewelry from the homeowner’s bedroom, and stole a rolling suitcase from a roommate’s bedroom.

"Delgado forced the victim to load the safe into the suitcase, and then forced her to exit the residence, pulling the suitcase with the safe in it down the street toward Foothill Road," Harwood said. "The victim feared for life and begged to be let go."

Delgado eventually released the woman, Harwood said, but threatened to kill her if she told anyone about the crime.

Earlier this month, officers contacted Delgado at his home on the 800 block of Vincente Way and arrested him on a parole violation.

"They found him to be in possession of gloves, a replica handgun, a knife, and a stolen piece of rolling luggage from an unrelated incident," Harwood said.

This evidence connected Delgado to the home-invasion incident, Harwood said, and he was re-arrested last week at the Santa Barbara County Jail, where he was being held.

He was booked on charges of kidnapping, burglary, robbery, and intimidating a witness or victim, Harwood said.

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